


A Brief Excursion

by Nootly



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Crabdad - Freeform, Other, Some Fluff, misdirected frustration, mostly angsty attempt at rebellion, over-described rain
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-11
Updated: 2013-11-11
Packaged: 2018-01-01 04:11:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,433
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1040187
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nootly/pseuds/Nootly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Flashback. Karkat just wishes he was allowed to go outside.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Brief Excursion

Karkat sat languidly by the window, watching as lightening lit up the night sky in the distance. Heavy, purplish-red clouds swirled and boiled on the horizon, blotting out the dual moons, and the young troll waited for them to inevitably open up. His husktop was already shut down, and his internet friends knew that storms always blew out the power in Karkat's district. For a short instance, he had been miffed at the clouds for ruining his evening, but he quickly realized expending energy on such an annoyance would do absolutely nothing to change the situation. Usually, that wouldn't stop him at all, but that night he was just sort of tired.

He rested his head on one arm sprawled along the window sill and looked down to his lawnring, then across to the other hives surrounding his own. Not a single thing stirred, aside from grass disturbed by muggy gusts of wind. Karkat directed his attention back at the sky and wished for it to break the motionlessness already. As if on cue, a small pattering began to sound at the edge of the neighborhood. It grew louder and closer until the cacophony of little droplets hitting concrete surrounded everything. The troll watched as the walls of buildings became dark with dampness and the grass began to glisten. A few lusii scrambled into their hives, and Karkat recalled that his own custiodian was still out, doing whatever it was he did all day.

Karkat stretched out the arm he had been resting on. The raindrops were fat and heavy and splashed against his skin until his sleeve was soaked and his hand was freezing, but he left it hanging there. It was nice to have a taste of outside. No one else appreciated being able to feel things like the rain. The serene expression once on Karkat's face was chased away by a scowl, and his hand became a fist. Of course no one would want to be stuck in the rain, all it did was make you wet and miserable and ruin the things you left outside by accident. Other trolls didn't have anything to hide from their neighbors. They were allowed to enjoy the moonlight and the dusk from the ground rather than a balcony, they didn't miss the rain at all.

Fuck that. He finally pulled his hand back inside and turned away from the window, hunching in his chair and brooding. His lusus wasn't home to scream at him. Not a single soul was outdoors. Even the predators (not that many would be in a suburban area like this) were cowaring in their little shelters against the storm, which was gradually growing fiercer. Fuck pinning for simple shit and wishing he wasn't a shut-in. He stood up with determination, and a clap of thunder rolled across the land, as if to eg him on.

He ran downstairs. Down, down, to the ground floor, and he hesitated at the door for only a split second before throwing it open and running out into the downpour. He ran a ways, just bolting from his hive and escaping the eyes of others that could glance through their windows. Karkat ended up in a small field right by the edge of the forest, the second farthest he'd ever gotten from his home. This was probably the stupidest thing he'd ever done. He didn't even bring a weapon in case someone WAS out here in the rain with ill intent. But as he stood there getting drenched, tall grass clinging to the cuffs of his pants, he realized he didn't care that much. Just this once.

Tilting his head up he peered at the clouds. Rain promptly landed in his eyes, so he closed them, but he left his head up and opened his arms slightly, and maybe even smiled a little. His shirt was completely soaked, as were his hair and jeans and shoes. The water coursing over him was cold, but it was a welcome change from the aggresively humid air he'd had to deal with all day in the stiffling indoors. Now, that heat was perfectly bearable, and he drank in the sensation of warm breeze on his face and cool clothing clinging to his frame and the sound of rain pummeling the surface of the planet.

There was a rustling to his left, and Karkat's eyes snapped open. He was tense within an instant, but there was still nothing he could do as a white mass sprang upon him, growling. The troll yelled in shock before the wind was knocked out of him, and then he was scooped up with little care for the state of his ribs and organs. Shitshitshit, his heart was racing and tears pricked at his eyes, but a second later he caught his bearings and realized he was being carried off by his own custodian, who was hurrying back to the hive as quickly as his crustacean legs would carry his hulking body. The huge animal was even sheilding his charge from the rain with its body.

Soon they were back at the large gray building, and Karkat was thrown unceremoniously on the floor of the first rom they entered. The crab-like monster shut the door behind the two, then began a tirade of screeches and clicks. Karkat sat up, a puddle already forming around him on the floor. He rubbed his ribs as he listened to his gaurdian's scolding, red tears still threatening to fall. The troll felt robbed, robbed of everything he should be able to experience without fear of death. He also felt quite sore. And cold. He shivered and pulled up his knees, rubbing at his eyes in frustration and pushing his hair away from his forehead as water continued to course down and pool around him.

"I'll have to leave someday, you know!" he managed to choke out and cut off the custodian. "I'll have to grow up and leave this damn prison behind, and you, to march off to my fucking pre-determined culling! Why," shit, he didn't want his voice to falter, "Why even try to put it off for that much longer if it only means I live an empty secluded life of nothingness? I'm wasting the air someone else could be breathing and the food someone else could choke on." He ran out of steam after that, staring at the ground and willing his eyes to dry up and fall out of his skull, but instead they continued to dampen.

There was a shift and a soft rrring, and his lusus sat itself behind the little lump of troll, pulling him close to its shelled torso. As uncomfortably hard as the carapace was, Karkat turned to lean into it anyway and sighed shakily. A claw softly petted damp black hair, and the monster clicked out something else.

It translated to something along the lines of "I'm here to protect you until then, and I intend for you to make it that far."

Karkat only grunted. More clicking and small screeches, something like, "Quit moping you sack of shit, ask for something I can actually give you. Can't give you an accepting world, much as I want to."

He rubbed his face again. "Gee, really getting the warm fuzzies here."

SCREEEEEE

"Alright, alright! I know..." he punched the creature's shell. "I know you care about me. And I know you're... just as scared as I am."

Most lusii went back to the breeding caverns and trials to recieve another grub after they raised/lost their charge. But Karkat knew his lusus was cursed, the same as his own. The animal would be culled just like the troll. He had nothing left to look forward to after this. All the poor creature had was Karkat, and one measly shot at doing his job right.

Karkat's custodian got up after that, leaving the troll shivering on the floor. Karkat sniffed and coughed and wanted clean clothes to change into, but he didn't feel like moving yet. He continued to sulk, but then a few towels were draped over his shoulders. He quietly thanked his lusus and began to dry himself with the fabric when he was lifted up, again, though this time it was less like a sack of starchy root-veggetables and more like a wriggler. Karkat struggled slightly, but no matter how he grew, his lusus would always be big enough to carry him like this. After a moment he sighed and let himself he transported upstairs, curling into the soft cloth and comforting chirps from his gaurdian.


End file.
